


Like Wildflowers

by moongirl24



Category: As the World Turns
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-09-24
Updated: 2011-09-24
Packaged: 2017-10-24 00:19:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/256723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moongirl24/pseuds/moongirl24
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>But the only thing he really cares to focus on at the moment is the fact that Noah just gave him flowers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Like Wildflowers

The afternoon sun hangs low over the trees by the pond where Luke is sitting on the grass, staring motionlessly at the clear water. This might just be his favorite place in the whole world. Everything is so quiet and peaceful; coming here is almost like stepping into a completely different world. Somehow, time stands still by Snyder pond. Luke knows that there is a whole busy, crazy world out there, but this place makes him forget about all that for a while. Down here he can just be _Luke_ , no apologies, no questions asked.

He has no idea how long he’s been sitting here, but to be honest he doesn’t really care. He desperately needed some time alone, to think, and the pond seemed like the natural place to go to. Lately he’s had so much on his mind that he hasn’t been able to sleep properly. Everything is so confusing. Most of all he wonders what the hell happened. A year ago he and Noah were perfectly happy together. They had their own apartment, and sure, things weren’t always perfect but they were good. They were very good. He and Noah had so many plans for their life together and the future lay bright and promising before them.

And then the accident happened and Noah lost his sight. After that, everything seemed to spiral out of control somehow and things just… happened. The breakup. Reid. And Luke tried so hard to convince himself that being with Reid was the right thing for him, he really did. It was what he _had_ to believe. He had to believe that letting Noah go had been the right thing to do. He needed to make sense of it somehow.

But he could only pretend for so long and eventually he had to realize that he made a huge mistake. Reid wasn’t the one for him, Noah was. And now Luke is sitting here alone, knowing that he probably doesn’t deserve either of them. He hurt them both. Worst of all, he hurt _Noah_. The one person he wanted to protect with his life and never cause any harm to. If he’s ever lucky enough to get Noah back, Luke swears he will spend the rest of his life trying to make it all up to him.

But he doesn’t know if Noah even wants him anymore. Maybe he’s lost him for good this time. Luke sighs, throwing several small rocks into the water, disrupting the stillness. How did everything get so messed up?

“Hey.”

The single word is spoken quietly but Luke still jumps. He whirls his head around and stares at Noah, who is standing awkwardly a few feet away from him. Luke’s heart is suddenly hammering in his chest and he’s momentarily amazed that after all this time Noah still makes him feel like a teenager who’s crushing on the hottest guy in school.

“Hey,” he finally manages. “I didn’t hear you come.”

“I’m sorry,” Noah says, looking slightly embarrassed in that adorable way of his. “I didn’t mean to sneak up on you like that.”

“No, it’s okay.” Luke offers Noah a quick smile, trying not to show how surprised he is that Noah is actually here. He can’t even remember the last time Noah came and found him like this. Usually the only time they see each other these days is when they bump into each other in Old Town or when Luke drops by at Java. Luke can’t stop the surge of hope that suddenly rushes through him.

“Can I sit?” Noah asks, gesturing to the ground next to Luke.

“Yeah, yeah, of course.” Luke almost stumbles over the words in his rush to get them out. Like if he doesn’t say them fast enough, Noah will leave again. He takes a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself down. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to see you,” Noah says as he sits down on the grass next to Luke. “I went by the house, but Lily said you went for a walk. And I know you usually end up here, so… so I decided to come and look for you. You don’t mind, do you?”

For a moment he looks uncertain and Luke quickly shakes his head. “No, of course not. But, um… Can I ask why? Did you want something?”

“Not really,” Noah says. “I just wanted to see you.” He turns to Luke and the expression on his face has changed. He looks almost sad now. “Luke, one of the hardest things about losing… _us_ , was that I lost my best friend too. I really miss talking to him. Hanging out with him.”

Luke misses it too, so much it hurts if he allows himself to think about it. He and Noah had been so much more than just boyfriends. The problem was that it had proved itself impossible to _just_ be friends with Noah. The boyfriend part and the friendship part of their relationship were so tightly bound together that they couldn’t be separated.

“Yeah, I miss that too,” Luke says wistfully. They look at each other, their gazes connecting, and Luke finds that he can’t turn away again. Noah’s amazing blue eyes have always had this almost hypnotizing effect on him.

“So…” Noah clears his throat, breaking the moment. “How are you?”

Luke quickly forces himself out of his daze and shrugs. “Okay, I guess. I don’t know if you heard, but Reid and I… we’re not together anymore.” Somehow it’s really important to make Noah aware of that.

“Yeah, I heard. Alison told me. I’m sorry.”

Luke shakes his head. “Don’t be. It just wasn’t meant to be. Deep down I guess I knew that all along even though I did my best to convince myself otherwise.” He pauses for a moment. “Eventually I realized that all I did was trying to force something that just wasn’t there.”

“Yeah, I know how that feels,” Noah says quietly, staring out at the water. It takes a few seconds before Luke realizes that Noah is talking about Maddie. He nods slowly. Yeah. Noah probably does know how that feels.

“So what about you, how are you doing?” Luke asks, ready for a change of subject.

“I’m good,” Noah says. “Living with Ali has been great, and I’m returning to OU when the semester starts. And I got my job at Java back. But you knew that, of course.” He smiles at Luke and Luke feels the warmth spreading to his whole body. He’s missed that smile more than he can possibly express.

“Of course,” he grins back. “Why else do you think I’ve been coming to Java so often lately?”

He meant to say it as a joke but it comes out sounding much more sincere than he planned and from the surprised look on Noah’s face, Luke wonders if maybe he ‘s said too much. But soon the smile is back, albeit a little more uncertain, and instead of saying anything in response to Luke’s confession, Noah shows him something that he’s been hiding behind his back this entire time. “Here. For you.”

Luke can only stare at the small bouquet of wildflowers that Noah hands him. He has seen the various plants around the farm many times and never cared much about them, but put together like this, they create something new and beautiful that he can’t take his eyes away from. Bright colors shine in shades of yellow, blue, green, white and pink. But the only thing he really cares to focus on at the moment is the fact that Noah just gave him flowers. _Noah. Flowers._

Luke swallows the big lump in his throat and fights to hold back the tears that are threatening to fall. Sometimes he wonders how Noah can even be real.

“You picked flowers for me?” he asks incredulously, hoping that Noah doesn’t notice how shaky his voice has become.

“Yeah,” Noah says, blushing. “It’s probably stupid, and really cheesy, but I saw them and somehow they made me think of you.” He pauses for a second and his voice is quiet when he continues. “I’ve always loved wildflowers, more than the ones you buy in a store. They just have this natural beauty about them, and this indestructible strength, this ability to always bounce back and never give up. And… and somehow, just by being, they make the world a more beautiful place.” Noah is flushing furiously now and he turns his face away from Luke, staring at the grass instead.

Damn. How can he _not_ cry when Noah says these ridiculously sweet things? Luke quickly wipes at the wetness in his eyes with the back of his hand.

“Thank you,” he whispers once he manages to find his voice again. “It’s not stupid at all. It’s probably the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me. But-” He pauses, giving Noah time to look up at him. “You do realize that this isn’t something that friends usually do, right?” He smiles at Noah a little teasingly.

“Yeah, well. Maybe this friend is hoping to be more than that.” Noah’s gaze stays on Luke now and Luke sees the apprehension flicker across Noah’s face. Apprehension mixed with hope and a pretty extensive dash of fear. And he knows that this is it. This is Noah taking a chance, on _them_. Luke’s heart is racing. He can’t mess this up now. Not again.

“You already are, Noah,” he says quietly, his hand finding Noah’s. “You know that. I know things have been messed up lately, but you’ve always been more than that. So much more.”

Noah tentatively links their fingers together. “I know,” he murmurs. “But I wasn’t sure if you still did. So now I’m reminding you. Because I’m still in love with you, Luke. And when you’re ready, I’m here. If… if you want me to be. I’m not going anywhere.”

Luke can only nod, squeezing Noah’s hand tightly. He knows he probably doesn’t deserve someone like Noah. But he also knows that this isn’t about who deserves whom. It’s about him and Noah and the fact that they belong together. No matter what life throws at them, that’s still the biggest truth of all.

“Thank you,” he whispers, not exactly sure what he’s thanking Noah for. For second chances, maybe. For Noah still being here, still loving him. That he didn’t give up when he easily could have.

Luke leans closer and presses a soft kiss to Noah’s lips. It’s just a brief brush of lips against lips but he hopes that Noah can feel the promise there.

When he pulls back Noah is smiling, his eyes wide and shining with joy, and Luke suddenly wonders why he was ever confused. It’s all so clear now. He may still need some time to get there, and he and Noah still have issues to work out, but he knows that eventually the road he’s taking will lead him back to Noah. And when that happens, all the pieces in the big, complicated puzzle that is his life will finally be put back together.

They sit together for a while longer, until the sun sets behind the trees surrounding the pond and the sky gets darker. Together they step back into the real world, smiles big and hearts light.

That night Luke sleeps better and more peacefully than he has done in months, a bouquet of wildflowers in a vase by his bed.

THE END


End file.
